1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is directed to a spark-emitting device that attaches to any part of a skateboard and upon contact with any abrasive surface, emits a sparking effect.
2. Description of the Related Art
Skateboarding is the fastest growing “extreme” sport in the U.S. since 1998. This growth has occurred because of the overall action sports trend, the activity's appeal as a spectator sport, expanding TV coverage for skateboarding, and its high visibility in the videogame market.
Many of the maneuvers performed by a skateboard require abrupt changes in direction and/or speed. In a blur of flying acrobatics, skaters leap and skid over and onto obstacles, executive flips and turns of ever-increasing complexity, and all at top speeds. Some of these tricks are performed when the rider places his or her foot used to propel the skateboard on the rear portion of the board causing it to pin downward and engage the surface underneath the skateboard with the bottom surface of the skateboard itself. When the bottom surface of the board contacts the usually abrasive surface underneath the skateboard, friction is created and the traveling speed and/or direction of the skateboard is altered.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,834,407 (the '407 patent) proposes that a pyrotechnic device be attached to the bottom surface of the skateboard which contacts the abrasive surface such that a sparking effect is emitted when these two items contact each other. The pyrotechnic device of the '407 patent comprises a housing structure having a flat base member and a plurality of vertical integral fins evenly spaced from each other. The fins each include at least one open-ended port for housing a spark emitter. The spark emitters are made from flint or other material which provides a spark when engaged with an abrasive surface.
One of the main drawbacks to the pyrotechnic device disclosed in the '407 patent is that, because of the configuration and spacing of the vertical integral fins, the concentration of the sparks emitted from the pyrotechnic device are less than desirable. In particular, the concentration of the sparks emitted from the pyrotechnic device do not produce a satisfying effect for the riders of the skateboard, or the observers.
Accordingly, there remains a need to provide a pyrotechnic device which emits a sparking effect, which is both desirable to the rider of the skateboard as well as an observer.